British women allegedly caught with cocaine offered bail
Published:Friday | November 1, 2024 | 12:09 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Two British women charged for trying to smuggle cocaine out of the island were offered bail in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday.
Teraiya Stapleton and Genevieve Sanoussi, both 21-year-old university students, reportedly had several packages of cocaine, amounting to more than five pounds, stashed away inside several pairs of footwear when they were held at the Sangster International Airport on October 20.
In applying for bail for the women, who appeared before parish court judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton, attorney Martyn Thomas said they had no previous convictions and had cooperated with the police at the time of their arrests.
“Both accused persons deny the allegations against them, and when the substance was found, the accused persons said certain things to the police. The police have their travel documents, reporting conditions can be put in place, and we submit that both accused ladies are anxious to have their side of the story heard,” said Thomas.
“Ms Stapleton has travelled to and from Jamaica since she was four years old, plus she has family members here, and her mother was travelling from England to be with her daughter when she heard that this situation arose, and she has no intention of leaving her daughter till this matter is disposed of,” continued Thomas.
“Ms Sanoussi came to Jamaica with her friend, Ms Stapleton, for two weeks, and she has now found herself in this predicament,” added Thomas.
The court was told that the forensic certificate in the matter is still outstanding.
Stapleton and Sanoussi were offered bail n the sum of $500,000. They are to reside in St Elizabeth and report to the police three times weekly. They should return to court on December 18.
The allegations are that on October 20, the accused were checking in to board a flight to the United Kingdom when they were searched by an officer.
During the search, several plastic bags with cocaine weighing two pounds and 1.58 ounces were found inside a pair of shoes in Stapleton’s luggage, and packages of cocaine weighing 3.5 pounds were found inside six pairs of slippers in Sanoussi’s luggage.
Under caution, Sanoussi reportedly said: “What? I feel like screaming! Tony gave them to me.”
Both women were arrested and charged.
Twenty-seven foreign nationals were arrested between January and September for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act.